


bridge

by rmaowl



Series: january [20]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Adrenaline, Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety, Apologies, Based On A Panic! At The Disco Song, Children, Crime Fighting, Crying, Cute Kids, Death, Emotional, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotions, Eventual Fluff, Family Fluff, Fear, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Fluffy Ending, Gen, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, I'm Sorry, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Inspired by Music, LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Themes, Letters, Men Crying, Minor Original Character(s), Music, Nonbinary Character, Panic, Parent Tony Stark, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Phone Calls & Telephones, Precious Peter Parker, Protective Tony Stark, Queer Character, Queer Themes, Queer Youth, Questions, Senses, Sunsets, Teen Angst, Teen Peter Parker, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Has Issues, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Trans Peter Parker, Water, Worried Tony Stark, Worry, fan mail, probably post-iw... judging by tony’s reaction to peter apologizing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-20
Updated: 2019-01-20
Packaged: 2019-10-14 10:04:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17506523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rmaowl/pseuds/rmaowl
Summary: “Don’t say that,” Mr. Stark cuts in, sounding for all the world like the breath has been punched out of his chest.





	bridge

Peter's perched carefully on the edge of a bridge, earbuds plugged in, phone clutched in one hand. The alternate version of Behind The Sea plays softly as he gazes out at the sunset, a stunning gradient of robin's-egg blue and bright orange. It's reflected in the glittering water below.

This is his somewhat futile way of winding down after a long day of crime-fighting. The world is a beautiful place, he reminds himself gently. It deserves to be saved and it deserves to be protected, in spite of the filthy people who inhabit it.

He inhales and exhales wearily. His tongue darts out of his mouth to wet his lips and he tastes blood. He drums his fingers against the railing he's crouched upon and scowls when he realizes he can still hear the tapping sound it makes over the music playing in his ears. Stupid heightened senses.

He stays like that until his phone vibrates in his hand. He glances down at it, wondering who would dare interrupt his music.

Oh.

It's Mr. Stark. He doesn't have the suit on right now, because it's sitting in his bag beside him, so this is the only means of contact.

He's getting a phone call from Mr. Stark himself. Phone calls are terrifying. Why is this happening to him? What did he do to bring this horror upon himself?

He waits too long to answer, apparently, therefore the call is forced through. Damn.

"Kid, quick question," Mr. Stark says slowly, biting back enraged panic, "why're you hanging out on a bridge in the middle of nowhere?"

"It's nothing, Mr. Stark," Peter stammers. It's not the most intelligent thing he's ever said, clearly, as Mr. Stark begins to bark out sentence after sentence.

"Do I need to be concerned?" He asks incredulously, voice increasing in pitch. "Maybe this is a regular thing for spidery teenagers, hell if I know. Forgive me if I'm not super comfy with my kid dangling his fucking legs off the edge of a bridge as he stares down into water he could easily drown in. Fuck." Each word rises and falls in intensity, wavering, shaking. Peter worries that Mr. Stark is pulling his hair out on the other end of the line.

“It’s nothing like that, Mr. Stark,” Peter rushes to assure, his doe eyes wide. “I’m not...” He heaves a sigh. “I’m just trying to calm down. Adrenaline rush, y’know? The sunset is... pretty. It helps.” The immaturity of his words strikes him suddenly, his cheeks blazing red with humiliation. Tears prick the corners of his eyes. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t say that,” Mr. Stark cuts in, sounding for all the world like the breath has been punched out of his chest. “Don’t say that,” he repeats, mumbling dazedly. “Don’t apologize. I’m sorry for bothering you, it’s just...” He trails off, biting his lip. “Staring down death was a hobby for me, personally, as a kid. I don’t want it to be the same for you, alright?”

“Alright,” Peter says tearfully. He sniffles, wiping at his eyes.

"You're too good for this world," Mr. Stark chokes out. He might be crying, too. “Christ.”

“Yeah, right,” Peter says, a joking air to his words. Tears continue trickling pitifully down his cheeks.

“I’m serious,” Mr. Stark insists. “Humanity is so lucky to have you.”

“Thanks.” Peter huffs out a quiet, defeated laugh.

“Fine!” Mr. Stark exclaims, but he’s very clearly teasing. “Don’t believe me. Maybe you’ll take, ah, Nancy’s word.” There’s a rustling sound as Mr. Stark rummages through a drawer, and then crinkling paper. “She’s six years old, and she idolizes the hell— excuse me, heck— out of Spider-Man, according to the letter her mom helped her write. Oh, what about Olive? They’re thirteen, they think you’re the queer icon of the century—”

“Shut up, shut up, shut up,” Peter implores, flapping his hands. He’s bright red. In his chest blooms a pleasant warmth. “I get it, okay? I get it.”

“Good,” Mr. Stark says, finally satisfied. “Come home soon.”

He hangs up.

**Author's Note:**

> three noun prompt: crime, spider, bridge  
> dialogue prompt: “you're too good for this world.”


End file.
